Healthcare Workers Have Highest Rate of Workplace Violence

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the International Association for Healthcare Security & Safety (IAHSS) recently conducted a study on violence in the workplace. They presented their findings at the 2015 IAHSS annual conference.

Their research showed that workplace absenteeism due to assaults experienced on the job is as much as 12 times greater in healthcare and social assistance facilities than it is in the private sector.  Furthermore, Robin Hattersley Gray of Campus Safety Magazine reports that, “the rate of violent crime at U.S. hospitals appears to be increasing.”

Because of these findings, OSHA published a report entitled Guidelines for Preventing Workplace Violence for Healthcare and Social Service Workers. This report explains the increased risks healthcare employees may face and provides protocols that can reduce the frequency of serious incidents.

Some facts revealed by the report include:

• Staff working in high-volume urban emergency departments, inpatient and acute psychiatric facilities, and geriatric long-term care settings have the highest risk of on-the-job violence.
• Healthcare employees are victims of between 13 and 36 assaults per 10,000 workers, whereas employees in the private sector experience approximately three assaults per 10,000 workers.
• Between 1993 and 2009, more than 10% of all cases of violence in the workplace occurred in medical settings.
• From 2012 to 2014, the rate of violent crime in hospitals increased 40%, from 2.0 to 2.8 incidents per 100 beds.

OSHA also found that the risk of violence in the workplace increases at healthcare facilities that:

• Lack policies and staff training for recognizing and managing hostile behaviors from patients, clients, visitors and coworkers
• Are understaffed, particularly during mealtimes and visiting hours
• Are experiencing high employee-turnover
• Have inadequate security and mental-health personnel on site
• Have overcrowded, uncomfortable emergency rooms and long waits
• Allow unrestricted movement by the public
• Present the perception that violence is tolerated

Learn more and find out what you can do to protect yourself by reading OSHA’s guidelines here.